Jeffrey Bush

Professor and Chair
Department of Cell and Tissue Biology

I am passionate about understanding basic mechanisms of mammalian morphogenesis, particularly as they relate to human congenital conditions. My training is based in mouse genetics, ES cell culture, and methods for cellular, biochemical and in-vivo investigation of receptor tyrosine kinase signaling mechanisms. I began my lab at UCSF in 2011, where we use a battery of approaches anchored in mouse genetics (see Research) with a goal of achieving fundamental cellular-resolution understanding of how tissues take their stereotyped shapes and functions. Though broadly interested in multiple aspect of mamalian morphogenesis, our lab currently focuses on the craniofacial and foregut systems. I also serve as the Chair of the Department of Cell and Tissue Biology.

Yoon-Gu Jang

Postdoctoral fellow, joint with Klein lab
Department of Cell and Tissue Biology

As a joint post-doc between the Bush lab and the lab of Ophir Klein, my research is focused on the generation of novel mouse models of human congenital disease using two approaches. First, through collaboration with the KnockOut Mouse Project (KOMP), International Mouse Phenotyping Consortium (IMPC), and in collaboration with the Selleri lab at UCSF, we are obtaining novel mouse models that exhibit craniofacial malformations and digging into their underlying etiology. Second, I am modeling human disease by introducing genetic disease variants into mice using CRISPR/Cas9-based gene editing. Through these approaches, I hope to better understand human structural malformations and their underlying molecular and developmental mechanisms.

Ace Lewis

Specialist
Department of Cell and Tissue Biology

As a senior Specialist in the lab, I engage in research projects, management of resources, and provide scientific and technical expertise to other lab members. My own research project is focused on understanding the control of the separation of the trachea and the esophagus during development, perturbation of which results in a congenital condition called tracheoesophageal fistula (TEF). I am particularly interested in understanding how signaling by EPHRIN-B2/EPH receptor tyrosine kinase signaling pathways regulate tracheal cell allocation and tracheal separation morphogenesis.

Karin Shamardani

Ph.D. student, OCS program
Department of Cell and Tissue Biology

I am a student in the OCS program working toward my D.D.S.; Ph.D. My thesis project focuses on understanding how mesenchymal cell polarity is established and how it is coordinated during the morphogenesis of craniofacial structures that are initially composed largely of mesenchymal cell populations. I am particularly interested in how signaling through EPHRIN-B1 regulates mesenchymal cell movement and mesenchymal cell polarity during secondary palate development.